Strengthening Interdisciplinary Research Governance at Universitas Gadjah Mada

Research Governance

According to UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 10 of 2023 on the Organization and Governance of Universitas Gadjah Mada, the formulation and policymaking of research at UGM fall under the responsibility of the Directorate of Research. As a result, all research activities conducted at faculties, schools, and study centers are centrally coordinated through the Directorate of Research.

The Directorate of Research is responsible for ensuring the sustainability of interdisciplinary research, particularly within study centers, which play a crucial role in advancing knowledge based on multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research. Support facilities for interdisciplinary research groups are provided by the Integrated Laboratory Management (MLT), which is also coordinated by the Directorate of Research. This is stated in UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 10 of 2023 (Article 76-78).

Additionally, several other regulations further support interdisciplinary research at UGM, ensuring a well-integrated and sustainable research ecosystem:

1. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 14 of 2021 on Research
2. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 25 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing for Integrated Laboratory Marketplace Activities Universitas Gadjah Mada
3. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 8 of 2024 on Research Flagship Programs
4. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 34 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing in the Provision of Services at Universitas Gadjah Mada
5. Amendment to UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 34 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing in the Provision of Services at Universitas Gadjah Mada

To promote the advancement of interdisciplinary research, the Directorate of Research has established several funding programs that require interdisciplinary collaboration, including:

Academic Excellence Enhancement Program

The Academic Excellence Enhancement Program is designed to develop lecturers’ competencies and expertise in their respective fields while enhancing UGM’s reputation through international publications with impact factors. This program also supports UGM’s academic mandate to contribute to scientific advancement and to the nation’s and humanity’s welfare.

Research Capacity Building Program for Early-Career Faculty

The Research Capacity Building Program for Early-Career Faculty reflects the university’s commitment to fostering the enthusiasm of early-career researchers, encouraging them to establish themselves as distinguished scientists on an international scale.

Additionally, this program serves as a catalyst for UGM’s young researchers to produce scholarly work aligned with their areas of expertise and to lay the foundation for developing their research roadmap in accordance with their interests.

The funding provided is expected to encourage young researchers to conduct their work with greater precision, diligence, and efficiency. Ultimately, this initiative aims to be sustained and further developed with a multi- and interdisciplinary approach, enabling researchers to access larger funding opportunities from both domestic and international institutions.

Doctoral Competency Enhancement Program

The Doctoral Competency Enhancement Program reflects UGM’s commitment to fostering a spirit of excellence among researchers, encouraging them to establish themselves as internationally recognized scholars. Building upon the research experience gained during their doctoral studies, researchers are expected to sustain a strong research culture by producing scholarly works aligned with their areas of expertise. This effort also aims to strengthen their research roadmap in accordance with their interests.

Furthermore, new doctoral graduates are encouraged to continue collaborating with their promoters, co-promoters, and/or colleagues from their doctoral institutions to enrich their perspectives, broaden their academic insights, and enhance their academic reputation. Ultimately, it is expected that new doctoral graduates will develop interdisciplinary research initiatives, enabling them to access larger funding opportunities from both domestic and international institutions.

Postdoctoral Program

This Post-Doctoral Program is conducted to enhance the competencies of early-career lecturers who have completed their doctoral degrees in recent years. The program aims to further develop their expertise in their respective fields through joint research activities and international publications, under the mentorship of senior experts at UGM.

Indonesian Collaborative Research Program (Program Riset Kolaborasi Indonesia, RKI)

The Indonesian Collaborative Research Program (RKI) has been conducted since 2018, initiated by four State Universities with Legal Entity (PTNBH): Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Airlangga, and Institut Pertanian Bogor. This collaboration among the four PTNBH has resulted in productive research activities, leading to the rapid expansion of the RKI program. As a result, a similar initiative was introduced, involving 13 additional universities across Indonesia. This derivative program, known as the Indonesian Collaborative Research Program (PPKI), has been running since 2019.

Following the designation of new PTNBH statuses, all 21 universities currently participating in RKI/PPKI have obtained PTNBH status. Therefore, it has been proposed that RKI/PPKI be unified under a single flagship program to enhance efficiency and elevate Indonesia’s research collaboration to the international stage.

Collaborative research is expected to enhance research quality, ultimately increasing the number of publications and citations in reputable international journals. The RKI program is seen as a strategic initiative that supports UGM’s pursuit of Research Excellence, as reflected in improvements in citation per faculty, citation per paper, and paper per faculty, while also contributing to research-industry engagement, as evidenced by an increase in academic reputation.

Career Promotion System

Research activities involving multiple disciplines are strongly encouraged by the university, as outlined in the UGM Strategic Plan (Renstra) 2022–2027. Additionally, UGM organizes various research funding programs that require interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers. With the provided support, interdisciplinary research collaborations would improve the researcher’s productivity and quality and positively impact the career development of the lecturers and/or faculty members. In terms of career promotions system, interdisciplinary research is very influential in career paths at faculty level, where research is used for career advancement requirements.

References:

1. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 10 of 2023 (Article 76-78).
2. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 14 of 2021 on Research
3. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 25 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing for Integrated Laboratory Marketplace Activities Universitas Gadjah Mada
4. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 8 of 2024 on Research Flagship Programs
5. UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 34 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing in the Provision of Services at Universitas Gadjah Mada
6. Amendment to UGM Rector’s Regulation No. 34 of 2024 on Benefit Sharing in the Provision of Services at Universitas Gadjah Mada
7. Academic Excellence Enhancement Program
8. Research Capacity Building Program for Early-Career Faculty
9. Doctoral Competency Enhancement Program
10. Postdoctoral Program
11. Indonesian Collaborative Research Program (Program Riset Kolaborasi Indonesia, RKI)